Buffing machine



Oct. 22, 1940.

N. H. KNOWLTON BUFFING MACHINE Filed Oct. 4, 1937 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 A/VE/TTUF Oct. 22, 1940- N. H. KNOWLTON BUFFING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 193' IIIIII I||||IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIInHHHHHHP HIIl Oct. 22, Q N KNQWLTON' BUFFING MACHINE Filed Oct. 4, 193' '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 w 8 w 6 b A a wow mmwv M Oct. 22, 1940.

N. H. KNOWLTON BUFFING MACHINE Filed Oct. 4. 193' 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Figs? I/E/V 70/3 7 A95 i M g Oct. 22, 1940.

N. H. KNOWLTON BUFFING MACHINE Filed Oct. 4, 193' 7 SheetsSheet 7 Patented Oct. 22, 1940 PATENT OFFICE BUFFING MACHINE Norwood H. Knowlton, Rockport, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. .11, a corporation of New Jersey V Application October 4, 1937, Serial No. 167,140

17 Claims.

This invention relates to bufling machines and is herein illustrated and described as embodied in a machine for bufiing soles ontheir grain surfaces prior to their attachment to shoes. In

5 the performance of this operation it is important to avoid visible scratch marks resulting from the action of individual particles of abrasive upon the surface of the work. It is important also to avoid what are known as waves or ripple marks 10 which frequently occur in series parallel to the axis of the buffing roll. The two principal causes of these ripple marks are the vibration or whipping of soles fed tangentially past the buffing roll and the successive impacts of bulges on the bufling roll. In order to obtain a desirable finish it is necessary that the bufiing be of uniform depth without anywhere cutting through the grain surface. The fact that the soles to be treated may have skived or beveled margins and I 2 other local inequalities of. thickness renders it difiicult to obtain a uniform bufiing action.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved bufiing machine capable of meeting the requirements above referred to. In accordance with a feature of the invention there is provided a feeding 'mechanism comprising a plurality of driven rotary feed members spaced lengthwise of the buffing roll and arranged to hold a work- 0 2 piece against the roll, in combination with a support for maintaining the axes of the feedmembers substantially parallel to each other in a plane parallel to the axis of the bufling roll and in a direction inclined to the axis of the bufiing roll. The feed members of the illustrated ma- 305 chine consist of belts running over individual pulleys which arecarried in a frame pivotally mounted for swinging movement, the frame being acted upon by springs to cause the pulleys to pressthe work-piece against the buffing roll. By

iii inclining the direction of feed the work is given a component of movement lengthwise of the bufiing roll, which component serves to prevent any individual particleof the abrasive from deepening and extending indefinitely with each succeeding contact the mark originally formed by it, and

the workpiece with the buffing roll to effect a continued buffing action. This is accomplished by guide members which deflect the workpiece from its normal path of tangency and curve it about the buffing roll, holding it against the bufiing roll with a pressure less than that of its initial engagement. This lighter continued bufiing operation not only avoids the formation of ripple marks but serves still further to erase any scratch marks which might otherwise be visible.

These and other features of the invention will appear more fully from the following-detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims. a

Referring now to the accompanying drawings,

Figjl is a view in end elevation of the improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a View in front elevation of the machine shownin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the machine;

Fig. 4 is an end view partly in section of the instrumentalities for imparting a transverse curvature to the soles and for presenting the soles to the buffing roll; I

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. '7 is a view in front elevation of the mechanism for pressing the work against the buffing roll and for feeding the work with a lengthwise component relatively to the bufling roll;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a plan viewof the mechanism for guiding and cleaning the work-pieces after their engagement with the 'buffing roll;

Fig. 10 is a View in end elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9; i

Fig. 11 is a sectional View illustrating passage of a work-piece past the bufling roll;

Fig. 12 is a detail viewof the gear mechanism for driving the distorting rolls; and

Fig. 13 is a detail View of the gear mechanism for driving the cleaning brush and its associated feed rolls.

Before proceeding with a detailed description of the machine it should be noted that the soles, if skived, are first presented to a mechanism for distorting them transversely to impart to them a slightly bowed or arched form. The soles are fed lengthwise through this distorting mechanism and then against a bufiing roll. Because of the slighttransverse curvature of the soles their marginal portions tend to bear against the bufilng roll with a pressure which compensates at least in part for the reduction of pressure resulting from the relative thinness of the skived marginal portions. After passing the bufling roll the soles are cleaned by a rotary brush.

The supporting structure for the various mechanisms above mentioned is in the form of a frame comprising a column If] (Figs. 1 and 2) having a base I2 adapted to rest upon the floor. Carried by the upper portion of the column Ill is a head comprising a horizontal plate I4 (Figs. 2 and 3) which is secured upon the top of the column Iii, a vertical transversely extending flange It and a vertical flange I8 extending forwardly and rearwardly, all of which parts may be integral. Secured against the outer face of the flange I8 is a flat plate 29 (Figs. 1 and 3). Secured to the plate 20 by a pair of screws 22 which are threaded into the forward edge of the plate 28 is a vertical plate 24 having a large opening in its central portion. The plate 24 extends transversely and is positioned directly below the web H5. The outer or right-hand end of the plate 24, as seen in Fig. 2,'is supported'by a post 28 (see Fig. l) the lower end of which is secured to the base I2 of the frame of the machine. The outeredge of the plate 24 is also secured to the flange It by an upright bar 21. The various parts ill, I2, 54, I6, I8, 2! 24, 26 and 21 all constitute a rigid frame structure.

The mechanism for distorting the sole is carried. by a frame, indicated generally on Figs. 1, 3 and 4 by the numeral 28, comprising a pair of parallel vertically disposed plates 30 and 32 (Figs. 5 and 6) connected to each other by parallel crosspieces 34 and 36. Each of the plates 30 and 32 is provided with a flanged supporting foot 38 which extends over the upper edge of the plate 24 and is secured against the face of the plate 24 by a clamping screw 40 extending through a vertical slot provided in the foot for heightwise adjustment. Vertically disposed adjusting screws 42 are threaded into horizontal flanges in the feet and bear against the upper edge of the plate 24-. A third foot 44 extends from the end plate til and is provided with a vertical slot through which extends a clamping screw 46 threaded into the face of the plate 24 to provide a third point of support for the frame 28 .Journaled in ball bearings 48 in the plate 30 and in similar ball bearings in the plate 32 is a shaft 50 driven by a worm gear -52 secured upon an end of the shaft 55?. The gear 52 is driven by a worm 54 secured upon a shaft 56 which is journaled in a casing 58 having a pair of ears 63 (one of which is shown in Fig. 4) by-which the casing 58 is secured against the outer surface of the end plate 32. The shaft 56 is driven by a pulley 62 secured thereupon, the pulley 62 being itself driven through a belt 6! 8 by means later to be described. The casing 58 is provided with cover plates 64 and 66.

It should be observed that the plate 32 (Figs. 3 and 5) is longer than the plate 30 and that the two plates extend parallel to each other not at right angles to but at angles of from the plate 24. The axis of the shaft 59 is inclined in a horizontal plane at an angle of 5 from the surface of the plate 24 or, more generally speaking, at an angle of 5 to the transverse horizontal center line of the machine. For purposes of reference, the transverse horizontal center line of the machine is assumed to be the upper forward edge of the flange IE, or any line parallel thereto in the same vertical plane. I

Secured on the shaft 50 are a pair of distorting rolls 68 and it which in longitudinal section are concave. These rolls are both alike, each comprising a )metal core I2 (Fig. 6) secured by a set screw to the shaft 56 and a thick rubber cushion M secured by a bonding layer I6 to the core I2. The cushion i4 is of substantially uniform thickness, the concave form of the roll beingv determined by the periphery of the core I2.

Mounted above the roll 68 to cooperate therewith is a distorting roll "I8 which is convex in longitudinal section, having a contour which is substantially complemental to that of the roll 68. A distorting roll 8!) similar in all respects to the roll '88 is mounted above and in cooperative relation to the roll it. The rolls I8 and 80 are each mounted for up and down swinging movement and are each resiliently pressed toward their cooperating rolls G8 and I0, respectively, by mechanisms which will now be described. The mechanisms for each of the rolls I8 and 80 are similar, and for convenience the same reference characters will be employed to designate the corresponding parts of the two mechanisms. It should be understood, however, that these two mechanisms are independent of each other. The roll 89, as shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 6, is of hollow metal construction and is journaled upon two sets of ball bearings 82 and 84 supported upon a horizontal stud 86 extending from a lever 90. Secured in the unsupported end of the stud 86 is a stationary cover plate 92 for the adjacent end of the roll 8! The lever is provided with a hub 94 by which the lever is pivotally mounted upon a stationary shaft 96 extending between the end plates 32 and secured thereto by set screws 98. Threaded in a boss IINJ (Figs. 4 and 6) extending upwardly from the crosspiece 34 is a screw I132 having a knurled head I04. Interposed between the head I04 and a horizontal flange 196 formed on the lever 98 is a spring I08 surrounding the shank of the screw I02. The compression of the spring IE8 may be varied by turning the head I84. The boss I!!!) serves as an abutment for the flange I06 to limit downward movement of the lever 99 and thereby to maintain a slight clearance between the rolls I0 and 88 when no work is passing between them. The roll I8, as has already been pointed out, is similar to the roll 80 and is similarly supported, and the Various members associated with the roll I8, in so far as they are shown in the drawings. are indicated by the same reference characters as the corresponding members associated with the roll 80.

Secured upon the crosspiece 34 is a work support IIO upon which soles may be fed to the above-described rolls. The work support III) has a work-guiding partition II 2 which extends between the adjacent ends of the rolls 68 and ID. The support I!!! is provided also at each of its ends with an upright guide plate II4. For supporting the soles as they leave the deforming rolls there is provided a table H5 carried by the crosspiece 36. Positioned above the table H6 is a guide I I8 (Fig. 4) pivotally mounted for swinging movement of adjustment about a pin I20 extending between the plates 36 and 32 and secured therein by set screws I22. Extending between the plates 30 and 32 and journaled in suitable bearings formed therein is a shaft I24 parallel to the distorting roll shaft 50. Mounted upon the shaft I24 are a plurality of toothed Wheels 2,218,537 I26 which engage the under surfaceof the soles as they leave the table I I6 and feed the soles toward the abrading. roll. The guide I I8 has a smooth undersurface which engages the soles and holdsthem down in contact with the teeth of the feed wheels I26. The toothed" wheels I26 are spaced from each'other by collars I28 (Fig. 5). cured upon one of its ends and'driven by an idler gear I32 mounted upon a stud secured in the plate 38. The idlergear I32 is in turn driven by a gear I34 secured upon the end of the shaft 58. The gears I32 and I34 are housedin a casing I36 secured upon the end plate 38 and having a removable cover I38. i 4

A buffing roll I48,fwhich"may be or any well known construction; is secured uponashaft I42 mounted in bearings I44 and I46 andhaving its axis parallel to the transverse horizontalcenter line of the machine. For an example of asuitable bufiing roll reference may be had to a copending application for Letters Patent of the United States Serial No. 232,123 filed in my name Sept ember28, 1938 as a division of this application. The bearing I44 is secured upon the plate I4 of the machine head and the bearing I45 is secured upon a bracket I48 (Fig. 1). One end of the bracket I48 is secured upon the outer end portion of the flange l6. The opposite end of the bracket I48 is secured upon an upright post I58 interposed between the end portions of a forwardly and rearwardly extending tie rod I52 and a transverse tie rod I53, the two tie rods 5 and the post I58 being rigidly secured together by screws threaded into the end'of the tie rod I53. The opposite ends of the tie rods I52 and I53 are secured tothe plates 24 and 28, respece tively. A supporting post I54 extending from the base I2 is secured to the tie rod I53 adjacent tothe post I58. The bufling roll I48 is driven in the directionof feed of the work but at a considerably greater peripheral speed, by a pulley I56 mounted upon the shaft I42 and driven by a belt 388. The driving arrangements for the belt 388 will be described later. i

The work is pressed against mechanism comprising a plurality of, feedhbelts 2I4 (later, to be more fully described) arranged 5o,

in side-by-side relation and supported on idler pulleys. This mechanism, as shown in Figsll, 7

and 8, is carried by a pair of parallel arms I58 and I68 which are mounted for free swinging movement in unison about a stationary shaft I62 55' a bracket I12 supported by the plate I24 is a rod I14.- A nut I16 is threaded on the free end of. the rod I14. Interposed between the nut I 16 and the crosspiece I18 is a compression spring I18 which tends to swing the arms I58 and, I68 up-. wardly to press the work against the buffing roll.

Threaded into the mid-portion of the crosspiece I18 is a pin having a head I88 which engages the bufiing roll and the work-pressing and feeding members when no work is passing therebetween.

A compression spring I82 surrounds the abovementioned pin and is interposed between the The shaft I24 has a gear I38 (Fig. 12) se-.

a plurality of spaced collars I8I.

the busing r011 and is fed while in engagement .therewithby a tially parallel to the shaft I88.

head I88 and the crosspiecel18 to prevent undesired turning of the pin, thusmaintaining the pin in any desired position of adjustment.

The feed belts 2I4 and their supporting idler pulleys are carried by brackets I84 and I86 mounted on thearms I58 and I68, respectively. The brackets I84 and I86 are similar to each other and are in the form of a pair of spaced parallel vertically disposed plates having horizontally extending ears I88 whereby the brackets are secured to lugs I88 on their respective arms I58 and I 68. r

Thefeed belt mechanism carried by the brackets I84 and I86 will now be described. As shown in Fig. 8, there is provided a horizontal stationary shaft I88 having formed along its length Each of the collars I8I has a peripheral surface which is spherical and which has its center in the axis of the shaft I88 and at the mid-section of the collar. Mounted upon each of the collars I 8| is a disk I82 having an internal cylindrical bearing surface which engages the periphery of the collar. Each of the disks I82 carries upon its periphery a flanged bearing ring I83 of anti-friction material upon which is rotatably mounted an idler pulley I84 for supporting one of the feed belts 2I4. Beyond each of the end disks 182 is a wedge-shaped end plate 'I85. These end plates I85, when assembled on the shaft I 88 as shown in Figures 8 and 9, have vertical surfaces which are parallel to each other and inclined which engage the end disks I92. Extending into acounterbore formed in each end of the shaft I98 is a flanged cup-shapedclamping member I96, the adjacent end plates I85'being counterbored to receive the flanges of the cups. Extending axially through the base of each clamping member I86, and threaded axially into each end of the shaft I88 is a clamping screw I88. When the screws I88 are tightened the flanges of the cups exert clampingpressure through the end plates I85 and all the disks I82 and bearing rings I83, binding them all into a rigid unitary assembly. The pulleys I84 are slightly thinner than the disks and bearing rings which support them, and are accordingly free to rotate on their bearing rings. "The unitary assembly is secured to the brackets I84 and I86 by screws 288 passing through the brackets and threaded into the respective "end plates I85. When the various parts are thus assembled the axis of the shaft I88 will be parallel to the transverse horizontal center line of the machine, and the pulleys I84 will all have their axes parallel to the axis of the distorting roll shaft 58 and inclined at angles of 5 from parallel to the axis of the bufling roll I48.

The mechanism for driving the feed belts 2I4 is carried by a bracket 284 extending substan- 284 isv secured at its opposite ends by bolts 286 threaded into feet 282 which depend from the brackets I84 and I86 respectively. The bolts 286 extend through vertical slots in the bracket 284, thereby providing for up anddown adjustment, Journaled in suitable bearings formed in the ends of the bracket 284 is a shaft 288 upon which is mounted amultiple pulley 2I8 having as many peripheral grooves 2 I2 as there are pulleys I84, of'which there are sixteen in the illustrated machine. Engaging each of the grooves 2I2 and extending around the corresponding The bracket pulley I94 is one of the feed belts 2 I4. As shown in Fig. '7, the walls of each of the grooves 2I2 are inclined and the portion of the belt 2I4 which engages the walls 2I2 is correspondingly tapered, the tapered portion, however, being truncated, and the walls of the groove being sufficiently narrow to prevent the belt from seating in the bottom of the groove. The walls of the grooves of the pulleys I94 are likewise inclined to accommodate the tapered portions of the belts 2I4 but are sufiiciently wide to enable the belts to seat in the bottom of the grooves. The portions of the belts 2I4 which extend out of the pulley grooves are rectangular in cross section. The belts 2I4 are composed of a resilient rubber composition material and may be of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,662,511, granted March 13, 1928 on the application of Walter Geist.

Secured upon an end of the shaft 203 is a worm wheel 2I6 which is driven by a worm 2|8 secured upon a shaft 220 which is mounted in suitable bearings formed in a housing 222. The housing 222 is secured by screws 224 to the adjacent end of the bracket 204 and is provided with cover plates 226 and 22! to provide access to the gears. Secured upon the shaft 220 is a pulley 228 (Figs. 1 and 2) driven through a belt 402 by means which later will be described.

Positioned in advance of the bufling roll I40 is a plate 232 (Fig. 4) having a smooth workengaging under surface disposed tangentially with respect to the buffing roll I40 and extending as close thereto as practicable, the upper ;edge of the plate 232 being beveled to provide clearance for the bufling roll. The plate 232 is secured upon a bracket 230 by a screw 233 and may be adjusted horizontally toward and from the buiflng roll. The bracket 230 is provided with heightwise adjusting screws 234 bearing against the upper surface of the plate 24 and is clamped against the plate 24 by screws 236 extending through vertical slots in the bracket 236.

Beneath the plate 232 is a table 238 positioned to receive the work which has passed over the feed roll I26 and to support the work on its passage to the bufling roll. Secured to the plate 238 are end pieces 240 of sheet metal for guiding the work in the direction of feed. The plate 238 is secured for adjustment in the direction of feed to a bracket 242 having a depending vertical flange 244 which, in turn, is clamped against a. vertical flange 246 (Fig. 5) extending from a crosspiece 248 secured with provision for heightwise adjustment by screws 25!! to the end plates 36 and 32. i i

It will be noted that the work-piece has been fed to the bufling roll I40 in a plane which is,

substantially tangent to the buffing roll. The feed does not continue in that plane, however. After leaving the feed belts 2I4 the work-piece is still maintained in engagement with the buffing roll, about which it curves, for further bufiing action before leaving the roll. The instrumentalities for effecting this further treatment serve also to guide the work to a mechanism for cleaning on the dust which arises from the operation of the buifing roll. These instrumentalities and the cleaning mechanism are carried by a common supporting structure which will now be described. Secured-upon the rear end of the crosspiece I52 (Fig. 1) is an upstanding L- shaped bracket 252. A similar bracket is likewise secured upon a flange extending horizontally from the rear portion of the plate 20. Se-

cured to the upright portion of these brackets is a bracket having a pair of vertically disposed end portions 256 for engaging its supporting members and having an intermediate portion 253 which is inclined forwardly and upwardly at an angle of about 30 to the vertical. Clamped against the inner face of the inclined portion 258 is an L-shaped bracket 26!] having at its upper end a flange 262 which is inclined forwardly and downwardly at an angle of about 30 to the horizontal. Clamped against the upper face of the flange 262 is a plate 264. It should be noted that in the arrangements for securing the bracket 256 to its support provision is made for heightwise adjustment, such provision likewise being made in the arrangements for clamping the bracket 260 to the inclined intermediate portion. 258 of the bracket 256. Heightwise adjustment of the bracket 260 is facilitated by a screw 263 engaging the lower edge of the bracket. Provision is also made for adjusting the plate 264 along the direction of feed upon its support 262. The plate 254 is secured upon its support 262 at an angle of about 5 from the horizontal center line of the machine.

The instrumentalities for maintaining the sole in engagement with the bufling roll after its initial contact therewith comprise a pair of presser or deflector plates 284 and 236 (Figs. 9 and 18). The reason for providing two of these presser plates is to enable the presser plates to handle soles independently when fed two at a time in side-by-side relation. These presser plates, as shown in Fig. 11, engage the under surfaces of the soles after the latter have left the feed belts 2 I4, and deflectthe soles upwardly, curving them about the bufling roll and maintaining them lightly pressed against the bufling roll; The presser plates 284 and 286 are yieldingly mounted upon a plate 288 which, in turn, is secured by a pair of angular brackets 290 to the plate 264. The yieldable mounting of the plates 284 and 286 is best shown in Fig. 10 and is accomplished by means of screws 292 having heads which set in counterbored holes in lugs 29% extending from the plates 284 and 286. In order to prevent rotation of the screws 292 the heads of these screws are provided with projections 266 (Fig. 9) which seat in suitable recesses formed in the counterbores for the screw heads. The shanks of the screws 292 extend downwardly through openings in the plate 288. Threaded upon the lower end portions of the screws 292 are knurled heads 298 which may be turned to adjust the compression of springs 300 interposed between the heads of the screw and the plate 288. As shown in Fig. 10, the under surface of each of the plates 284 and 286 is in the form of an obtuse dihedral angle to enable the plates to rock upon the plate 288 as the springs 30!! yield, the extent of such rocking, however, being limited by screws 352 threaded through the plate 288 and engaging the plates 284 and 286. Undesired rotation of the screws 302 is prevented by springs 3M interposed between the heads of the screws 362 and the under surface of the plate 268. The plates 284 and 286 each have a beveled surface 305 (Fig. 11) which engages the leading ends of the soles and deflects the soles upwardly against the buffing roll, against which they are pressed by an upper surface 30'! of each of the plates. The under corners of the plates 284 and 286 are beveled 01?, as indicated by the reference character 3%, to clear the feed belts 2I4. The soles travel along the surface 391 and then continue along the c 2,218,531 upper surface of the plate 288st anupward inturned at an angle of about 5 from thetransverse horizontal. center line of the machine while the axis of. the birding. roll .is, parallel to the transverse horizontal center line. .The edge of the plate 264 is accordingly provided with a step to compensate for, the resulting difference in the spacing of its ends from the bufiing roll, the

plate 288 being .provided with a, similar ste These steps areboth indicated in Fig. 9 by the 284 and 286 to the supporting plate 264 the edges of these deflector platesare parallel .to the axis of the buffing roll. In' order to provide for the greater spacing between the feed roll 306 and the deflector plate 266 there is provided an additional feed roll comprising toothed wheels 2H4 spaced by suitable collars and mounted on a shaft 316 extending parallel to the shaft 363; The shaft 3 I 6,extends only half the length of the shaft 303 and is journaled in bearings 3S3 mounted ontne plate 264... The axes of the feed roll shafts 308 and 316 are inclined at an angle of 5 tothe transverse horizontal center line of the machine'and are paralleltothe" axes of the distorting. roll shaft and the feed roll shaft I24.

For pressing the work down against the feed roll 308 there areprovideda pair of plates 326 and 322 (Figs. 9,10 and 11). beveled at 324 to engage the. lead ng ends of the soles.

additionalfeed roll 3I6. The plates 320 and 322 I46. The plates 326 and 322'are securedupon the free ends of'apair of arms 326 and 326, re-- spectively, which are pivotally mounted upon pins 330 secured in brackets 332 mounted upon ears 334 extending rearwardly from the plate 264. -In orderto, hold the plates 320 and 332 down with suiiicient; pressure there are provided a pair. of station-aryrmembers 336 into each of which is threaded a screw .333. The members 336 consist of lugs extending from bearing supports later to be described- A compression freely swiveled upon the, arm 326 and through which the shank; of; the sorew.338 passes with suificient clearance to accommodate the swinging movement of the arm. V v

The cleaning mechanism will now be de-. scribed. Secured upon one end .of the plate 264 is a support 266 for abearing 268 and secured upon the other end of the plate264 is a support 210 for another bearing 212.. It is from these supports 266 and 210 that the aboveedescribed lugs336 extend. Journaledinthe bearings 268 and 212 is ashaft 214 upon which is mounted a cylindrical cleaning brush 216. Theshaft 216 adjusting screw 280 is threaded into the bearing 268and has a flanged head bearing against The plate v 322 serves also ,to hold the work down against the an abutment surface formed on the support 266. Each of the bearings is providediwith a vertical tongue and groove connection to its support; The bearing 212may be clamped in any desired position of vertical adjustment by a screw 213 extending through a vertical slot in the support 210 and threaded into the bearing 212. Mount.- ed on the shaft 214 a pulley 262 through which the brush 216 is driven at high speed in a direction opposed to the feed of the work. The pulley 282 is driven through a belt 368 byrnechanisrn later to be described.

For supporting the soles while in engagement 344 secured to the plate 264 in parallel relation theretoby screws 346 and spacing collars 348. ,After the work haspassed the cleaningbrush numeral 3l2. In securing the-deflector plates it is, engaged by a feed roll 350 comprising toothed wheels spaced from each other by suitable collars along a shaft 352 journaled at its ends in bearings 354 secured upon the plate 234. The

feed roll350 is parallel to the distorting roll shaft 50. For holding the soles down in engagement with the rolls 350 there are provided a pair of plates 356 secured upon arms 358, respectively, which arms are, in turn, pivotally mounted for swinging movement upon pins 360' secured in the brackets "332. No springs are necessary to hold the arms 358 down, their weight alone being 'sufiicient to insure proper feeding of the sole at this point. The feed r'olls 366, 3M and 350 are all driven from. power supplied through .a belt 36l to a pulley 352 secured upon one end of the shaft 352. Securedupon the opposite end of the; shaft 352 is a gear 364 (Fig. .13) which drives an idler gear 366 which drives a second idler? gear 361, which, in turn, drives a third idler gear 368. The idler gear 368 is in direct engagement with a pair of 7 gears 310 and 312 secured on the shafts 308 and3l6, respectively, forndriving the feed rolls 306 and 3|4. The

idler, gears 366, 361 and 368-are mounted-on into a box 316 (Fig. 1) supported upon a bracket 318which is mounted upon the post I54. c

- The power for driving the various mechanisms above described all transmitted through a main shaft 380 from any suitable source ofpower. The shaft 380 is mounted in self-alining bearings 382' on supports 384 on the base 12 of the machine. Secured on the shaft 380 is a pul key 386 which drives the buffing roll pulley I56, through the belt-388. -Suitable tension is main- .l)v mounted upon thefree end or an arm 392 t ained in the belt388 by an idler pulley390 (Fig. l

which is pivotally supported for free swinging movement upon a pin 394 secured in the framel0. .Also mounted on the shaft 380 is a pulley 228. Theidler pulley 404 is mounted on a bracket 406 secured on one of the supports 384rwith provision for adjustment. Securedonthe end of the shaft 380 is a fourth pulley 408- whichdrives the distorting mechanism... A belt 410 carries the drive of the pulley 408' to a pulley 412 securedupon the end of a shaft 4I4.. -Secured upon the opposite end of the shaft4l4 is a pulley M3 which drives the pulley 62 through the belt 463. The shaft M4 is journaled in a bearing 423 supported by a bracket 422 secured upon the base I2 of the machine. The bracket 422 includes a pivotally mounted member 424 which may be clamped in any desired position of angular or lengthwise adjustment by a hand nut 426 on a bolt passing through a slot 428 formed in the member 424, thus enabling the pulley M2 to be positioned to maintain suitable tension in both ofthe belts 4H] and M8. The cleaning mechanism feed rolls are driven through the belt 33 iby a puiley 430 on the shaft 208. An idler pulley 432 supported by a plate 434 adiustably mounted on a boss 433 (Fig. 2)

formed on the tie rod I32 engages the belt 33I verse curvature to the soles.

to maintain suitable tension therein.

In order to insure convenient disposition of the dust which arises from the operation of the buffing .roll upon the work there is provided a dust'hood 436 connected. to the usual exhaust system and haying its opening extending over the locality in which the work leaves the bufiing roll and over the cleaning brush. A cover plate 438 is also provided for enclosing the space above the buffing roll between the hood 433 and the flange I6- The cover plate 438 is hinged on pintlesmlil, and is held down by a winged nut 442. -An extension 444 of the cover plate 438 is made adiustable to enable a minimum clearance to be obtained between the extension 444 and the forward wall of the hood 436. The cover plate 438 carries upper end walls 446. A stationary end wall 448 below the outer end wall 446 is also provided, as well as a front wall'45ll. The dust hood 436 communicates with the space beneath the cover plate 438, although a baffle is positioned close to the abrading roll I40 to prevent a peripheral current from developing about the roll. The plate 232 is perforated to enable air to be drawn into the space beneath the cover plate 438 and thence into the dust hood.

The operation of the machine as so far described will now be explained. The soles to be treated may have local variations of thickness resulting from a previous skiving or edge beveling operation, from the thickening of the edge portions resulting from a previous'edge setting operation, and from other causes. The soles are introduced by the operator alternately between the two sets of distorting rolls 63, I8 and Hi, 85! which impart to the soles a transverse curvature which they tend temporarily to retain. The fact that the lower concave driven rolls 68 and I are covered with a cushioning layer of rubber not only insures that these rolls will feed the work but also insures that the upper surfaces of the soles will assume a curvature complemental to that of the convex metal rolls I8 and 80 inasmuch as the cushioned surfaces of the rolls 68 and "ID will yield to accommodate whatever local variations of thickness there may be in, the soles. It should be noted that the doubly convex m'etal rolls will tend, to impart a lengthwise as well as a trans- After passing the distorting rolls the feed of the soles is continued by the roll I 26. As the leading ends of the soles come into engagement with the feed belts 2I4 the soles are pressed against the plate 232, the

upper surfaces of the soles being thereby fiattened while all the local variations of thickness are accommodated by the resilient feed belts 214. As the soles pass the edge of the plate 232 in this flattened condition they immedately engage the bufling roll I40. If the soles have skived or beveled edges it is evident that the pressure exerted by the feed belts 2I4 through these edges will be less than the pressure exerted through the relatively thicker material in the central portions. However, the tendency above mentioned of the soles to retain the curvature imparted to them by the distorting rollswill offset, at least in part, the diminution of pressure exerted by the feed belts through the thinner marginal portions. The upper surface of a sole will thus be presented with substantially uniform pressure across its entire width to the bufiing roll.

The inclination of the axis of the pulleys I94 relatively to the axis of the buffing roll will cause the feed belts 2I4 to impart to the Work a feeding movement which has a lengthwise component relatively to the bufiing roll. This lengthwise component serves to efface scratch marks which might otherwise appear upon the surface of the work. These scratch marks result from particles of grit projecting above the general level of the abrasive surface and gouging out fine lines upon the surface of the work. For each revolution of the burling roll the sole advances only a relatively slight distance in the course of its feed and, if it were not for the above-mentioned component, the same particle of grit would gouge more deeply into the line already formed and would also extend the line. This would oc cur indefinitely and the result would be a long deep conspicuous scratch mark. However, because of the lateral displacement of the workiece resulting from the lengthwise component of the feeding movement the successive scratch marks of any unduly prominent particle of grit will be laterally displaced from each other in the form of a series of relatively short, shallow, parallel lines so close together that they merge and become invisible. The lateral displacement of the work-piece, moreover, subjects the already formed scratch marks to the erasing action of the normal area of the abrasive surface adjacent to the projecting particle.

The passage of a sole S past the bufling roll is shown in Fig. 11. As the sole advances between the bufling roll and the feed belts its leading edge engages the bevel 305 on the presser plate 33?, deflecting the sole upwardly and prolonging its engagement with the buffing roll against which it is held with relatively light pressure, as compared with the pressure of the feed belts, by the springs 300. Such curving of the sole about the bufiing roll is facilitated by the tendency to longitudinal curvature, already mentioned, which has been imparted to the soles by the distorting rolls. Thus, instead of merely engaging the bufiing roll in a single plane of tangency it will be observed that the sole is curved partially about the abrading roll and is subjected to a continued bufling operation under lighter pressure which tends further to obliterate any scratch marks which may have resulted from the initial contact of the sole with the bufllng ing roll engageable with one surface of a workmachine the feed roll 3M) carryqthe soles forward over the plate 344 and in engagement with the swiftly rotating brush 216 which. removes the dust caused by theaction of the buffing roll. As

claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is: V

1. An abrading machine comprising a cylindrical abrading roll, aplurality of driven rotary feed members spaced lengthwise of said roll and constructed and arranged ,to hold a work-piece against the roll, and a support for maintaining the axes of said feed members substantially parallel to each other in a plane parallel to the axis of the abrading roll and in a direction inclined to the axis of the, abrading roll.

2, An abrading machine comprising an abradpiece of sheet material, a plurality of belts engageable with the opposite surface of the workpiece at the locality engaged by said abrading roll, means for guidingsaid belts at their locality of engagement with the work-piece in a direction inclined to the direction of movement of the surface of the abrading roll at said locality, and means for driving said belts in said guiding means to cause said belts to feed the work-piece past the abrading roll.

,3. An abrading machine comprising an abrading roll engageable with one surface of a workpiece of sheet material, a plurality of feed members spacedlengthwise of said abrading roll and engageable with the opposite surface of the workpiece at the locality engaged by the abrading roll; means for guiding said feed members at their locality of engagement with the work-piece in a direction inclined to the direction of movement of the surface of the abrading roll at said locality, a frame supporting said guiding means and pivotally mounted for swinging movement of the guiding means toward and from the abrading roll, and resilient means acting upon said frame to cause the feed members to press the work-piece against the abrading roll.

4. A work-feeding mechanism for an abrading machine comprising a plurality of pulleys, means for supporting said pulleys with their centers in a straight line and their axes inclined to said straight line, a work-engaging belt on each of said pulleys, and means for driving said belts to cause them to impart to a work-piece a feeding movement which by reason of the inclination of said axes has a component along said straight line, thereby enabling said belts to engage a work-piece tangentially along a straight line and to feed the work-piece in a direction inclined to said line of engagement.

5. A work-feeding mechanism for an abrading machine comprising a plurality of idler pulleys, a multiple driving pulley having a belt groove for each of said idler pulleys, a work-engaging belt between each of said grooves and its corresponding idler pulley, and means for supporting said idler pulleys for rotation about axes parallel to each other and inclined to the direction of the axis of thedriving pulley, the line of centers of the idler pulleys being parallel to the axis of the driving pulley, whereby t, ebelts are enabled to engage a work-piece along a lineof tangency and to feed the, work-piece in a direction inclined to said line of tangency. v

6. A work-feeding mechanism comprising a plurality of curved beltguides arranged side-byside and tangent to a common plane, said guides having their points of tangency with said plane disposed all in the same straight line, said guides also at their intersections with said line being all parallel to each other and extending in a direction inclined from the perpendicular to said straight line, and means for driving said belts in said guides to impart to said belts a work-feeding movement which by reason of said inclined direction of said guideswill have a component along a line of tangential engagement with a work-piece.

'7. An abrading machinecomprising an abrading roll engageable with one surface of a workpiece of sheet material, means engageable with the opposite surface of the work-piece for pressing the work-piece against the abrading roll, driven feed rolls engageable with the work-piece on each side of the abrading roll and having their axes parallel to each other and inclined to the direction of the axis of the abrading roll, means for holding the work-piece in engagement with said feed rolls, and means for imparting to said pressing means a feeding movement which is at right angles to the direction of the axes of said feed rolls. v

8. A buffing machine comprising a bufiing tool, meansfor feeding a work-piece past said bufiing tool, means for holding the work-piece with a relatively heavy initial pressure against said bufling tool, and means engageable with a portion of the work-piece which has already passed said holding means for holding the work against said buffing tool with relatively lighter pressure. i

9. A buffing machine comprising a buffing roll engageable with one surface of a flexible workpiece, feeding means engageable with the opposite surface of the work-piece constructed and arranged to hold the work-piece against the buffing roll with relatively heavy pressure, and a presser engageable with said opposite surface of the work-piece at a locality which has passed said feeding means for holding the work-piece against the buffing roll with relatively lighter pressure.

10. A buffing machine comprising a buffing roll engageable with one surface of a work-piece of;

and arranged to' press the work-piece against said bufiing roll, a feed roll displaced along the line of feed from said feeding means, means for holding the work-piece against'said feed roll, and means for press-ing the work-piece against the bufiing roll at a locality between said feeding means and said feed roll.

12. A buffing machine comprising a buffing opposite surface of the work-piece constructed roll, means for feeding a work-piece past said buffing roll, additional Work-feeding means beyond said buffing roll, and means for guiding the work-piece to said additional feeding means, said guide means being constructed and arranged to curve the work-piece about the buffing roll.

13. A machine for buffingskived soles comprising a bufling roll, means positioned in advance of said bufiing roll for imparting to a sole a transverse curvature, a cleaning mechanism positioned beyond the sole for removing from the sole dust resulting from the operation of the bufiing roll on the sole, means for feeding the sole lengthwise past said curvature-imparting means, said buffing roll and said cleaning mechanism, and means for guiding the sole from said curvature-imparting means to said buffing roll and from said buffing roll to said cleaning mechanism, said guide means being constructed and arranged to curve the sole about the bufiing roll to increase the area of contact.

14. A machine for bufing skived soles comprising a bufiing roll, means positioned in advance of 15. A device for imparting to a skived sole a transverse curvature to prepare the sole for buffing, comprising a roll of concave curvature longitudinally and having a yieldable periphery adapted to engage one surface of a sole, a roll of substantially complemental convex curvature longitudinally and having a hard periphery, means for driving said concave roll, and yieldable means for urging one of said rolls toward the other to cause the rolls to impart curvature to a sole passing between them.

16. An abrading machine comprising an abrading roll, a plurality of pulleys spaced lengthwise of said roll, a belt running over each of said pulleys, said pulleys being arranged to cause said belts to press a work-piece against the abrading roll, means for driving said belts to cause the belts to feed the work-piece past the abrading roll, and means for supporting said pulleys with their axes parallel to each other and inclined to the lengthwise direction of the abrading roll to cause the feeding movement of the belts to take place in a direction having a lengthwise component relatively to the abrading roll.

17. A buifing machine comprising a buffing roll, pressing members for holding a flexible work piece curved against and partially around said roll, means for feedingthe work piece in such state of curvature past the roll, and means positioned in advance of the buifing roll for imparting to the work piece a tendency to curve about the buifing roll.

NORWOOD H. KNOWLTON. 

